


Melancholic Dreaming

by NanakiBH



Series: Synapse [2]
Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awkward First Times, Cock & Ball Torture, Come Eating, Fix-It, Hand Jobs, Kissing, M/M, Nipple Play, Porn With Plot, Quiet Sex, Scent Kink, Yandere, post-143
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-18
Updated: 2014-09-18
Packaged: 2018-02-17 22:36:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2325662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanakiBH/pseuds/NanakiBH
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He opened his eyes to the beginning of a new life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Melancholic Dreaming

**Author's Note:**

> This one is a sequel to Fall Into a Dream. If you haven't read that one, I think it's probably fine to read this one on its own, but I still recommend it. I expect that a scenario like this will get retconned as soon as we know what's going on with the manga, so let's all enjoy a dream like this while we can.

He fell back asleep shortly after waking up. The thought that he might not wake up again terrified him, but there was nothing he could do to keep himself from falling back into the clutches of the darkness that waited behind his eyelids. For a while, he tried to fight it off, to keep himself awake and aware, but his consciousness fell from his grasp before he even noticed. At some point soon thereafter, he thought he heard Tsukiyama's voice. He sounded distressed, probably afraid of the same things that Kaneki was afraid of.

He really wanted to wake up again, would be happy to listen to whatever other embarrassing things Tsukiyama had to say to him. It sounded like there was a lot he wanted to tell him, and there was honestly a lot that Kaneki wanted to say as well – so much that it all got lodged in his throat. Maybe when he woke up again, he could say something. Anything. Tsukiyama would probably be very happy if he heard him speak again.

His eyes, too; Kaneki wondered about them. His sleep was filled with unsettling dreams. Over and over, he remembered what it felt like to have the demon investigator's quinque penetrate his skull and clearly heard the crunch and snap of bone as it exited through his eye socket, bursting the delicate membrane. In the past, a nightmare like that would have surely woken him, but it seemed like a part of his mind recognized it as more than just a dream. It was a memory, and his brain was still fighting to accept it as reality. There was no way he could live again to rest in a peaceful sleep after having something mix and mash the contents of his skull. It was impossible.

So, while the rest of his body rested, his mind continued to fight to find the reason within something so heinously impossible.

When he woke again, the world was just as dark, but he knew that he was still alive. He didn't need to check this time; he could feel his body with its familiar aches. His feet were a little cold – he wasn't wearing socks, he noticed. His stomach felt sore and his legs and back felt like they were in desperate need of a stretch. Laying in bed for however long he had been laying there must not have been very good for him. Still, anywhere was better than where he'd been.

When he heard someone enter the room, his body went ridged. Being in such a vulnerable state, he adopted the instinct to play dead and laid there, listening, waiting, frightened when his ears were met by no words of greeting.

“Kaneki-kun...?”

At the sound of Tsukiyama's voice, he released the heavy breath he'd been holding and turned in the direction of his voice. He opened his mouth to yell at him for startling him, but, once again, nothing made it past his lips. Determined, he tried again, but the effort made his head feel light and dizzy.

Suddenly, he felt even more afraid. He couldn't understand it. His throat felt fine, his chest clear, but his voice refused to obey him. It was the most perplexing feeling. Being unable to see was already enough, but being unable to control his own body made him feel like...

“It's okay.” He felt a hand being placed gently on his chest, easing him back down to the bed. “Don't strain yourself. You seem like you're out of the woods now, so I don't want you to reverse any of the progress we've made.”

'We'...

It was odd, he thought, how nice it felt to hear someone say something like that, even if it were Tsukiyama. He wasn't alone. There was someone who wanted to take care of him. That sort of realization made him feel almost giddy; relieved in a hysterical kind of way. He still had a voice, even if it didn't belong to him. Tsukiyama was the sort who would throw himself into the fire if he so much as gave the gesture to do so, so he knew that he could count on him to watch out for his well-being.

“Are you feeling any better?” he asked. The hand on his chest lifted and Kaneki instinctively sought to grasp it, bringing one of his hands out from the blankets to only hover in the air, hesitating. Remembering the things he'd promised himself, he reached out and clasped Tsukiyama's hand, pulling it back to his chest. The barely audible sound of surprise his action drew from Tsukiyama was worth far more than any momentary embarrassment he caused himself.

Turning Tsukiyama's hand over, his lifted his other hand to write on his palm with his index finger, shaping words one letter at a time.

_Yes_ , he told him. _Thank you._

“Y-you can write,” he said, sounding astonished and relieved. “That's good. I was afraid of what condition your head might be in. When I got to you, your body was already beginning to heal, but it wasn't happening fast enough, so...”

_Don't_ , he wrote.

Kaneki didn't need to hear more about what he'd already experienced for himself. There was no need for Tsukiyama to recall the things he'd seen, either. Even though it was Tsukiyama, being a dangerously sympathetic person by nature, Kaneki understood what that must have been like for him. When he saw his body laying there, he could imagine what thoughts must have gone through his head, the sort of blinding pain he must have felt before he realized that there was still life within him.

Tsukiyama had been suffering, too. He'd been there at his side the whole while, suffering with him, taking away some of his pain, adding it to himself.

_Thank you_ , he wrote again upon his palm, knowing how dearly Tsukiyama would hold onto those words. He was truly appreciative. If not God, then Tsukiyama was the one who had heard his plea from the brink of death, and he had been the one who had held onto him and pulled him away from it.

“You're... welcome...” he said timidly, putting his hands around Kaneki's. “I'm so glad you're still you.”

This was the first time Kaneki ever really believed him. The emotion, thick in his voice, was not the sort of thing that was easily faked. Even if he could see him, Kaneki was sure that he would've only believed him more for it. A part of him wished that he could see what sort of face accompanied that voice. Did he look as sad as he had when he saw him last, his face stained with dried tears?

Curious, he wrote on his palm again.

“Your eyes? Oh... Yes, let's see...” Tsukiyama let go of his hands and moved them to Kaneki's face, gently placing his thumbs over his eyes. Kaneki could feel it; the light sensation of the bandage's fabric brushing against his sensitive eyelids. He swallowed, the part of him that had always been wary of Tsukiyama reminding him that he was letting him get too close. After he'd been saved by him, he had no choice but to trust him, but he couldn't escape the cold sweat that covered his face. “Do you feel that?” he asked, pressing lightly.

Kaneki hissed and slapped away his hands, putting his own hands over his eyes to protect them.

“D-did that hurt? I'm sorry. I was just trying to see if they were fully formed now. I-I'm not supposed to take off the bandages until we can tell that they've regrown. I'm sorry,” he said, apology after apology continuing to pour from his lips. “I didn't mean to hurt you.”

It was odd. Hearing Tsukiyama talking like that somehow felt wrong. It felt like they had been reversed. To begin with, he knew that his decision could have very large consequences, but he had been too much of an idealist to believe that he could lose everything with the choice he'd made. Thinking he was acting on the behalf of everyone else, he lost everyone instead. Even those who hadn't been lost had been changed.

A new wave of sorrow came over him, so he kept his face in his hands.

It was so stupid, he thought. He missed him. He wanted to hear the old Tsukiyama. His apologies felt wrong.

Was this what they'd meant? Preoccupied by his concern for others, he hadn't noticed their concern for him and had brushed it aside as if it were something meaningless. But this was what they meant when they said they wanted to see the old 'him' again. It hurt so much just to realize. He couldn't even imagine how much it must have hurt them when he rejected their sympathy. After the things he had gone through, though, he wasn't even sure he was capable of being that person they remembered. Knowing that, it made the person beside him seem much sadder.

Tears once again wet the bandages, making them cling uncomfortably to his skin. It seemed appropriate that the only sounds that could make it from his throat were the sounds of his sobs; the miserable and ugly sound of someone with something broken inside.

“K-Kaneki? Is it that bad? Sh-should I get someone else? I'm sorry, I...”

He sounded like he was spiraling off into helpless despair, unsure what to do. If only he could speak, Kaneki would've yelled. He would've told him to stop apologizing. It wasn't his fault. The only person Kaneki could blame for this pain was himself.

Such thoughts only made him sob louder, holding his face in his hands, putting his head between his knees. Through his loud cries, he could hear someone else arrive at the door, drawn by the noise. Tsukiyama left his side, and Kaneki heard him yelling at them, frustrated, violently slamming and locking the door a moment later after he forced them out. They pounded on the door, but he didn't respond to them as they tried over and over to find out what was going on.

As his sobs died down, he realized that he could feel Tsukiyama's presence at his side. Whoever had been at the door seemed to have gone. Tsukiyama was crying again, too.

Kaneki wanted to speak to him so badly. Feeling abandoned by his voice, he shakily lifted the hand nearest Tsukiyama and used it to find his shoulder. He heard him make a curious sound, then felt him go still as he placed that hand on top of his head. Kaneki didn't know how else he was supposed to say what he felt, so he did the only thing he could think of; he pet his head.

It was a little like the gesture one would give a dog. _Good boy_ , it meant. It would've sounded condescending if he'd done it in any other situation, but he hoped that the current circumstances would deliver him his meaning.

“I'm sorry,” Tsukiyama said again. “I'm no good, huh? Even when I really try to help you, I just end up hurting you instead. And now I'm the one being comforted... What's up with that?” He laughed through his tears, hiccuping and sniffling.

The thing he wanted to convey hadn't gotten through to him. But that was sort of to be expected, considering who he was dealing with. Tsukiyama had always been frustratingly dense. In a way, even though he was disappointed that he hadn't been able to make Tsukiyama understand what he was trying to say, he was happy to have discovered a familiar part of him. In all fairness, he must have also looked like a completely different person to Tsukiyama.

Tsukiyama was distraught because he wasn't like the Kaneki he remembered and Kaneki was upset because Tsukiyama wasn't the Tsukiyama he remembered. They were like a matching set; a pair of dolls who'd had their parts rearranged.

They were crying over the same damn thing.

Realizing that his body didn't hurt nearly as much as he'd expected it to while sitting up, he turned to Tsukiyama and held out his arms. There was no need for him to explain what that meant. Body language was universal, and he had the feeling that this was a thing they could both benefit from. After Tsukiyama took a moment to process what he was asking him for, Kaneki felt him sink into his embrace, his arms wrapping tightly around his waist, felt him bury his nose between his neck and shoulder.

He had no idea Tsukiyama was such a crybaby. He kind of liked this side of him. When the others said they wanted to return 'the old Kaneki', he remembered feeling a little hurt by it. That other part of him was just as much a part of him as anything else. It was all him. So, wrapping his arms around Tsukiyama more tightly, he embraced this side of him as well.

They hadn't really changed. They'd just been turned inside out, showing the sides of themselves that they usually kept hidden. Of course, it was distressing to find out that someone he previously thought was so strong and composed was able to crumble like this, but he imagined that Tsukiyama felt the same way. Seeing him looking weak and broken must have been what brought out this side of him. It must have been a really long time since he'd shown it to anyone. It seemed like he had no idea what to do with himself. From the moment that he awoke, Kaneki had been constantly aware of his presence, always hovering nearby. The way he was being consumed by his own feelings was worrying, but also strangely flattering.

There he went again...

He was worrying about someone else when he should've been focusing on himself.

Was it that wrong to have at least one person he could care about as much as himself, though...? That felt like it would even things out. After all, as much as he could try, he knew that he would never be able to care only for himself, one hundred percent. At least five percent could be donated to this pitiful soul he was holding.

He heard Tsukiyama let go of a sigh as his body relaxed, his tears subsiding. It was somewhat embarrassing, having him so close. Kaneki couldn't remember ever holding someone like that.

Tsukiyama nosed his neck, brushing his lips lightly over his skin. Even if he couldn't see himself, Kaneki was sure that he would have been visibly blushing, could feel his face heating up. He still couldn't say anything, but he didn't even know what he would have said to that. A bit of past fear prickled the skin at the back of his neck, reminding him that he probably looked like a tasty, easy meal to Tsukiyama. Despite whatever he'd told him, that sort of fear was going to be hard to fully ignore.

“I really missed your scent,” he said, his words spoken against his skin. “I got so used to following it around. I... think I may have gotten a little too attached to it.”

Maybe he wasn't as dumb as Kaneki had thought.

He let himself be laid down, his head gently guided to the pillow beneath him as Tsukiyama laid slow, sensual kisses along his neck.

“Mine... My Kaneki. Kaneki-kun... Mine...”

Leaving him had really messed him up. The way he was acting now actually frightened Kaneki more than the way he used to be, when he had intended to eat him.

He'd already promised this deeply damaged person that he would go far, far away with him. He didn't know if he could fix him. There was no telling whether Tsukiyama could do the same for him; fixing his eyes and his voice, as well as patching up the innumerable holes in his heart.

He wanted to feel like there was hope for them, but he still clung to his doubts. They might make it far away, but he couldn't say for certain how long they could live elsewhere before they were found somehow. He had the feeling that there would be eyes on them the second they left the protection of the room he'd been kept in. He felt safe there.

He hoped that he would feel safe no matter where they went as long as he had Tsukiyama at his side. He was his sword and shield, after all; that hidden dagger. It had been his mistake to leave without him.

Tsukiyama's kisses ended at his jaw, going no higher. Any higher than that and he might've really confused himself.

Laughing softly to himself, Kaneki put his hands on Tsukiyama's face and guided him to his lips.

A real kiss – he'd never given one to anyone before.

It was nice. His heart was pounding, but he felt more relaxed and comfortable than he could remember feeling in a long time. Tsukiyama made some confused noises but gradually relaxed into it and began kissing him back. It was just a light, chaste press of their lips against each other, but it was all he needed it to be.

He was glad that he hadn't left just yet. He would've been disappointed if he never got to enjoy his first kiss.

Tsukiyama probably had no idea. If he could've told him, he knew that he would've been freaking out more. Knowing him, he would've been jumping all over the place, wailing proudly about how he had been the first one to taste his lips.

After their lips parted, Tsukiyama's kisses grew more adventurous; peppering his face with little pecks, laying additional warm kisses to his lips, nuzzling his forehead. Kaneki found himself feeling tired all over again, but he didn't feel exhausted this time. He just felt warm and... appreciated. His chest felt blessedly light, and he could feel a smile uncontrollably turning up his lips.

When Tsukiyama had his fill, he sat back down next to him and held the hand closest to him. They stayed like that for a while and it was nice.

After a while, sounding like the silence was making him feel uncomfortable, Tsukiyama got up and promised to return quickly. Before leaving, he stopped and asked him if there had been any books he intended to read. Though he was sure there had been many books on his to-read list, Kaneki couldn't remember a single title. The memories of their covers and the authors' names fled from his head, and he couldn't be sure whether he'd forgotten or if the memories had simply been cut from his brain and left in the sewers. His heart shook as he began to wonder what other memories he may have lost.

“I'll bring back a few different things,” Tsukiyama told him so he didn't have to think about it.

He returned with five books, but none of them sounded familiar to him. He wondered if he'd read them before. Thinking back, he couldn't remember the name of the last book he read, and he couldn't remember the one before that. There was a hole in his memory that swallowed up the millions of words he'd read, and, while he felt sure that he retained the feelings those books had given him, he couldn't remember any of them. Even the name of his favorite author felt like a mystery.

But he didn't want to worry Tsukiyama any further, so he didn't mention it, glad that he had an excuse to not say anything. He could already tell that Tsukiyama had some idea of what he had been thinking, though.

Tsukiyama read the titles to him, but Kaneki wasn't sure how to choose one. He couldn't remember whether they had talked about any of them before. If they had, Tsukiyama would have definitely known what was wrong if he chose one he'd read before.

After a long and nervous moment, Tsukiyama chose one for him, taking the first book off the stack; one by an author named Takatsuki Sen.

It was a collection of short stories, and Tsukiyama chose to read him one from the middle of the book; a complex and deeply emotional tale with a bittersweet ending. Kaneki felt unfamiliar with it, but he enjoyed it a lot. Until then, he'd never noticed what a nice voice Tsukiyama had. When he wasn't yelling deranged things, he actually had a very pleasant reading voice that was easy to listen to. He knew just what sort of inflection to give each word to convey the proper meaning and emotion. It made Kaneki wonder if he often read to himself out loud. He was very good at it.

Slowly, eventually, he felt himself falling back asleep. He couldn't tell if Tsukiyama had noticed, nor could he remember at what part of the story he'd fallen asleep, but the sound of Tsukiyama's voice followed him gently into his dreams.

 

The next time he awoke, he had the feeling that a lot of time had passed. When he was awake before, he hadn't asked what time it was, and Tsukiyama hadn't bothered to tell him. It felt like many hours since then. Possibly, he'd slept through the night because he awoke with the light from the morning sun on his face, irritating his sore eyes.

At once, the realization that he could detect the light struck him, and he immediately sat up in the bed. Before doing anything else, he felt around at his side, but his fingers met an empty wooden chair. Tsukiyama had to be elsewhere. He wished that he were around to help him with the bandages, but he was too anxious to wait for him to return.

With a dry throat and a light head, he bent forward and searched the bandages at the back of his head with his finger. He found the clips that secured them and removed them. Hands trembling, he began to unwind the gauze until it fell loose into his lap. Cautiously touching his fingers against his eyelids in the way that Tsukiyama had before, he felt around, just making sure that he could feel them there. Finally, taking a deep breath, he cracked open his eyes.

The light instantly infiltrated his head, making his eyes ache, although that wasn't enough to stop him. Keeping his head down and turned away to avoid looking into the light from the window, he opened his eyes a little wider to look at his hands in his lap. His vision was blurry all over, but he could undeniably see. Even if they weren't perfect yet, his eyes were working, and the relief that he felt was so overwhelming that it made him feel like he could collapse.

Vision still blurry, he tried to look over the rest of himself. He noticed that he was wearing a plain cotton shirt now. He vividly remembered the feeling of Tsukiyama's tears rolling down his bare shoulder, so he must have redressed him while he was asleep. Hesitantly, he lifted the blankets and found that, while he hadn't bothered to give him pants, at least he was wearing some new underwear.

…

Now wasn't the time, but he made a mental reminder to punish him for that sometime.

Curious about his surroundings and feeling a distinct sense of unease without Tsukiyama near him, he kicked aside the blankets and decided to test his legs. They felt as unsteady as expected, feeling like he thought they would after laying in bed for so long. Once standing, he inspected the books that Tsukiyama left on the bedside table. Picking up the one from the top, he brought it close to read the title and opened it to any page, trying to see again for himself if any of it felt familiar. He was disappointed that he felt nothing. Seeing the cover, it made him feel like he _had_ to feel something, but his memories betrayed him.

He set it back on the pile with a sigh. Looking up, his eyes rested on the fuzzy form of the bedroom door. The room he was in presently looked like it was probably a guest room, though it was furnished quite nicely. Given it another quick look, he noticed what appeared to be a clock above the bed, on the wall behind him. He turned and looked up at it, squinting to make out the time that its hands indicated. If his eyes could be trusted, then it was only just after eight in the morning. He had always been a morning person, so it came as no surprise that he would naturally awaken at such a time.

Tsukiyama told him that this was his parents' home. That meant that he should be safe if he decided to leave the room... Probably.

He didn't know anything about Tsukiyama's parents. He couldn't even imagine what kind of people were responsible for such an unusual, eccentric individual. The thought that they might share his tastes made him shiver and reconsider going outside.

He was awake now, though. The only thing he had to occupy himself were the books by the bed, but his eyes weren't working well enough to read them. His earlier fear of what terror may lay in wait beyond the room crept back inside of him, making his legs tremble. Living in a constant state of fear wasn't how he wanted to live. If that were what his life would be like, then he'd rather have died to end it.

Conviction holding up his heart, he opened the door and left the room. What he encountered on the other side was both unlike what he'd expected and also much more. His eyes couldn't see very far, but he could see well enough to tell that he was on the second floor, a bannister in front of him, what looked to be the grand entrance below. It was huge. The sheer size of the area before his eyes made him feel dizzy in his present state, and he swayed, holding his head.

Kaneki hadn't even realized that there was someone near him until he heard them draw a surprised breath. Instincts on overdrive, pumping adrenaline through his veins, he spun around toward the sound, even if his sudden movements made him feel like he would fall over. When he saw who it was, though, he relaxed somewhat, though he remained apprehensive.

It was just a maid. He could tell as much by the way she was dressed.

To his surprise, she looked just as frightened of him as he felt. Timidly, she asked if he was alright. Trying to think of a way to explain that he couldn't speak, he held a hand to his throat and pointed at his open mouth.

“You're hungry...?” she asked.

He let his arms fall to his sides in defeat and he shook his head. It was true that he was hungry. Tsukiyama must have fed him enough to help him heal, but his body had already used all of that energy and it was trying to tell him that it needed more. But that wasn't what he was trying to say.

When he didn't respond, she seemed to finally get it. “You can't talk?” she asked. She came a little closer to look at him and he was able to make out her features. If he had to guess, he wouldn't have thought she was any older than him. She looked far too gentle for a person who supposedly served one of the most fearsome ghouls in existence. Though... remembering what Tsukiyama had been like the night before... Maybe 'fearsome' didn't always apply.

“I don't think the young master is awake yet. Do you want me to take you to him? I'd offer you my help, but... He said he doesn't want anyone else to touch you. I hope you understand.”

Yeah, he understood. Tsukiyama could be childishly unreasonable like that. Even if she innocently helped him, there was a chance that Tsukiyama would serve her for dinner if she did something that displeased him.

Something else she said also caught his attention – 'young master'. It reminded him that this place didn't belong to Tsukiyama. Somewhere around here, he would encounter his parents, and the thought of meeting them at a time like this was more than intimidating. If Tsukiyama was strong, then the two who made him were probably strong as well. And if they had a taste for rare flesh, then...

He nodded. He wanted her to take him to Tsukiyama. She seemed like someone he could trust for now.

She politely looked aside as she guided him down the stairs. “I'm sure he'll... have something for you to wear,” she said.

...He almost forgot that he was half-dressed. His legs did feel a little chilly. Only being able to see what was directly in front of his face at the moment, however, it was easy for him to forget that he was missing some vital pieces of clothing.

They went down a hallway below the place where they'd been. As they walked down the quiet hallway, passing by many rooms, Kaneki kept his fingers crossed, praying that they wouldn't run into his parents. As they turned a corner, another servant passed them and almost gave him a heart attack. Eventually, they stopped outside one of the rooms and she stood still, holding her hands in front of herself, looking hesitant to do anything further.

“I guess there's no helping it.”

She knocked on the door.

They waited, but received no response. So she knocked again.

After giving him another few moments to respond, she turned back to Kaneki with a sympathetic look. “He's a heavy sleeper. It might be best for us to not bother him right now-”

Kaneki held up a hand to stop her. This was Tsukiyama they were talking about.

He gave her a nod, hoping that she understood that he appreciated her help, then grabbed the door knob and let himself in, leaving her out in the hall, bewildered.

He never thought he'd see the day when he'd actually feel safer in a room alone with Tsukiyama than anywhere else. When Tsukiyama appeared to stop him, Kaneki could tell that he hadn't been using his full strength. His emotions had gotten the better of him, making him sentimental and weak. Stacking that on top of what he already knew about him, the pieces clicked into place, completing the picture of a person who wasn't nearly as strong or as composed as he pretended to be.

If it were just going to be the two of them from now on, then he didn't mind this 'new', completed Tsukiyama.

Coming closer, stopping at the side of the bed, he knelt and looked at his sleeping face.

Even in his sleep, it looked like there was something troubling him, his brows slightly drawn together, his mouth curved into a small frown. Though Kaneki didn't know what he was supposed to feel for him, he knew that such a sad and pitiful sight made him want to comfort him. He was here now. He was with him again, so he didn't need to make that face anymore. Seeing him frowning like that made him fear that this was all a dream, like he was nothing more than a ghost watching over him.

As if just to prove it to himself, he reached out and lightly brushed back the hair that fell across Tsukiyama's face and came closer, leaning in to press his lips against his forehead. As soon as he did it, he pulled away and put his hands down, trying to convince himself that he didn't just do something so embarrassing. He was very glad that Tsukiyama wasn't awake, but it looked like his small sign of affection hadn't gone unnoticed.

Tsukiyama stirred, his eyes squeezing together tightly as they rejected the morning light before they slowly opened.

“Kaneki-kun,” he said, smiling slowly, sadly, looking like he was remembering the reality of the night before.

Kaneki nodded and nervously looked away. It made him feel awkward when Tsukiyama looked at him like that. He'd never been on the receiving end of such an expression before, but that didn't mean that he didn't know what it meant. It made him feel confused and conflicted, but he didn't have time to feel that way anymore. Life was too short to let himself get caught up in indecision. He had already died once. It wasn't worth it to waste time thinking about unimportant things.

“How did you find your way to my room?” Tsukiyama asked, a hint of amusement brightening his face. As he sat up, Kaneki realized just how thin he was looking. His hair, disheveled from the way he slept on it, was sticking up in odd directions, and he had visible dark circles underneath his eyes. The shirt he was wearing was practically hanging off of him. (Glancing down at himself, Kaneki realized that the one he was wearing must have been one of Tsukiyama's own.)

When he didn't receive an answer, Tsukiyama shook his head. “Never mind that for now then. Did you sleep well? Are you hungry? How are your eyes? Can you see me?”

How did he expect him to answer all of those things at once?

Well, it was a good thing that they all had the same answer. Figuring that it should suffice for everything, he nodded.

Relief softened his expression and he slowly sunk back into the bed, his exhaustion taking him down. He looked really tired still. Kaneki felt like he'd been laying in bed for days, but he had no idea how much rest Tsukiyama had gotten in comparison. He had the look of someone who hadn't been able to sleep soundly in a long time.

If he were serious about that proposal he'd made, then they were going to need to leave sometime soon. He wasn't going to have much time to rest, so Kaneki felt like he shouldn't be bothering him.

For the moment, he could return to the guest room.

Putting his hands on his knees, he pushed himself up, but, as he turned to leave, he felt a hand grab his wrist. Without taking another step, he turned and looked down at Tsukiyama. Though at first he kept his gaze down, when Tsukiyama looked up at him, Kaneki saw the silent “don't go” in his eyes, pleading for him to stay. It made his heart freeze, flooding him with guilt.

He was still waiting for him to take responsibility, wasn't he.

There was nowhere else for him to sit, so Kaneki sat on the side of the bed. Tsukiyama moved a little to allow him room, but he kept his hand around his wrist, refusing to let go, like if he let go, he expected him to disappear. With the way he felt at the moment, Kaneki couldn't blame him, wasn't so sure himself that he wouldn't disappear if he didn't have Tsukiyama's hand there to anchor him. His blurry vision left him feeling unconvinced that he wasn't still laying there in the sewers, half-dead, that this wasn't just some kind of dying dream. Those minutes he already spent in Tsukiyama's room, the hours he'd spent sleeping in the guest room, listening to Tsukiyama read to him – it could have all been a spark; a vision that was truly no longer than a second, flashing through his fading consciousness.

It was what he asked for, but he wanted it to be real.

There was no telling when he would ever speak again when the things he felt left him feeling so speechless.

“Will you listen to me this time, Kaneki?”

If he weren't dead yet, then his guilt would have surely finished him if he told him no.

Unable to answer, his throat sealed with the heavy weight of past decisions, he placed his hand over Tsukiyama's and gently removed it from his wrist. Before Tsukiyama realized what he was doing, Kaneki saw his face crumble, thinking that he was being rejected.

That was just like him, Kaneki thought as he laid down beside him. He still didn't feel confident enough to take his hand, but he thought that Tsukiyama would realize that he didn't intend to leave now.

Really, he was such a crybaby. It was oddly cute, this side of him. It made him want to tease him and comfort him all at the same time.

If this were just a dream or an illusion created by his own desperation, then there was no need for holding back. He could do anything now; for himself, for Tsukiyama. Through his blurry vision, he found the hand he'd abandoned and grasped it loosely. That hand instantly tightened around his, the quiet sound of something like a sob falling from the one who lay next to him. Unsure of what to do to even fix himself, he didn't know what he should do to help Tsukiyama, so he let his body act instinctively, letting it choose the course that seemed like it would give him what he needed.

Placing his other hand against the side of Tsukiyama's face, he leaned in and placed their lips together. Stroking his thumb against his cheek, he brushed away the tears that were already falling.

For a second, he had the brief, amusing thought that he and Tsukiyama were perhaps experiencing the same dream. The Tsukiyama of his own imagination probably wouldn't have cried like this, so this one had to be the real one.

“I won't let you leave me again.”

Those tear-stained words drenched Kaneki's heart. Tsukiyama probably wasn't the only one feeling that way. Touka and the others... If they knew he were alive, they would've been so relieved. He felt like he owed it to them to let them know that he was safe, but he feared what consequences that might have. If he went away with Tsukiyama, he didn't want to risk their safety.

He could still right one wrong, so he would hold onto him. He wouldn't let go.

It could be a long time before his voice finally felt like it was safe to return, so he used his tongue in other ways, trying his best to tell him what he was thinking. It was sort of odd. He was still a little tired, but being in Tsukiyama's bed made him feel warm and comfortable. It was hard to say what the feeling in his chest came from. He knew better than to call it 'love', but he couldn't deny that he felt some sort of affection for him now, so kissing him was...

It was pretty nice. It surprised him just how comfortable he felt when he wrapped his arms around Tsukiyama's waist and moved closer to lay with him chest to chest. Though, it also helped that Tsukiyama was, in spite of his tearful state, a surprisingly good kisser. He really knew what to do with his mouth, but that probably figured. As they ran their tongues over each other, Kaneki imagined what sort of dirty, hungry thoughts were flying through Tsukiyama's head.

Without breaking their kiss, he cracked open his eyes, trying to see what Tsukiyama's face looked like. In particular, he was interested in his eyes. His tears had stopped, but he still had his eyes closed, a look of rapt and eager concentration on his face as he tilted his head into the kiss. Even with his eyes closed, Kaneki could see the dark veins creeping their way from the corners of his eyes, stretching out. Whatever he was thinking, he was clearly getting into it.

For the first time since he woke up, Kaneki realized that he didn't have his eyepatch. There was no way for him to hide his ghoul eye. If something happened... If he got aroused, Tsukiyama would definitely notice.

The nervous panic the thought sent through him was enough on its own to make him feel shamefully aroused. His heart pounded in his throat and he felt his cock give an interested twitch against the front of his borrowed briefs. The sudden realization that those might have also belonged to Tsukiyama entered his brain, and his body responded in a rather unexpected way.

He moaned.

As soon as Tsukiyama realized what he'd just heard, he broke their kiss and pulled back to stare at him, an excited and amused smirk on his face. Scowling, Kaneki waited for him to say something, to tease him for letting out such a sound, but he was taken aback by the look on Tsukiyama's face. He seemed... confused or flabbergasted or...

“Kaneki-kun, your eyes...”

Kaneki immediately felt heat spread across his face. Of course his eyes had turned. He didn't know why Tsukiyama had to look so surprised about it, though.

“H-hold on a second,” Tsukiyama said hurriedly. Pulling away, he left the bed to search for something on top of his dresser. When he returned, he held it out for him.

Accepting the item from him, Kaneki realized that it was a mirror, and held it up to see what was so unusual about his eyes. As soon as he had a look at himself, he understood why Tsukiyama had reacted the way he had.

His eyes... both of them now...

“Two ghoul eyes,” Tsukiyama sung, sounding enthralled by the idea. He plucked the mirror from him and set it aside, then took his face in his hands, holding his jaw so he could have a better look at his face. “They're so beautiful... I wonder why they're both like that now. Maybe your body was unable to regrow your human parts? Maybe you're becoming more and more like a ghoul?”

That sounded like something he should be worried about.

Tsukiyama stopped, his face falling for a moment in thought. Kaneki's shoulders jumped when he suddenly came close, sniffing from his chest up to his neck.

He sat up thoughtfully. “You still smell the same to me.” He sighed, relieved, then placed his hands back on Kaneki's face, smiling down at him fondly. “I'll make sure you won't be hurt again. I won't let anyone else touch you now.”

That also sounded like something he should be worried about.

Before he had the time to give that more thought, Tsukiyama was kissing him again, wrapping him up in his arms, pulling him close like a doll. A part of his brain was trying to warn him that he should still be wary of Tsukiyama, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult to listen to that part of himself. The next time he was allowed to breathe, Tsukiyama pressed his face against his neck, laying kisses there as he loudly breathed in his scent.

His scent...

Kaneki's thoughts were feeling fuzzy, but it finally hit him; the reason why he felt so unusually comfortable around him. After sleeping in his shirt, after having him frequently nearby while he slept, he must have gotten attached to Tsukiyama's scent. It was so ridiculous that it made him want to laugh out loud, but, no matter how ridiculous it was, it was undeniable.

He liked it, and he... really wanted more of it.

Grabbing a fist full of the hair at the back of Tsukiyama's head, he pulled him back and tentatively took a sniff of his shoulder, around the same spot Tsukiyama always went for. His sense of smell still wasn't as sharp as a full ghoul's, but he could definitely detect his scent, now that he knew what he was searching for. He wasn't wearing any cologne and whatever other fragrances he had on him weren't strong enough to hide his natural smell.

Where were they going with this, exactly? In the first place, he only came to Tsukiyama's room because he didn't feel like staying in the guest room. Now Tsukiyama was smooching him all over, grabbing him in places he wasn't sure he was comfortable with being grabbed. His mouth was distracting, but it wasn't enough to hold him back once his irritation reached its boiling point.

To stop him, he put his hands underneath Tsukiyama's jaw and pushed his face away, giving him a glare that paralyzed him.

“S-sorry, Kaneki-kun,” he said, looking flustered and embarrassed that he wasn't able to control himself. “You're still healing. It isn't right for me to throw myself at you like this, is it? Just... Once I catch your scent, it's hard for me to settle down.”

Based on the hard thing he had pressing against his leg, he could tell. But he also had a similar problem of his own. He didn't want to return to the guest room, but he didn't want to stay in Tsukiyama's bed with him if things were just going to get awkward.

Though, if this were how things were going to be in the future, then it had to start somewhere. As long as Tsukiyama wasn't too tired, he didn't care about what he decided to do anymore.

So he rolled over onto his back and put his hands at his sides, leaving himself open, presenting his body to him for whatever he wanted to do... as long as it didn't involve eating him. He was pretty sure he had enough strength in him to pull out his kagune if he really had to, but Tsukiyama was also looking weak. He'd be surprised if he could do much, looking as exhausted as he did. Tsukiyama must have realized the same thing. Once he took a moment to let his mind slow down, it looked like the rest of his body came to a stop at the same time. Tiredly, he laid down next to him and clung to Kaneki's side, rubbing himself against his hip.

“Like this?” he asked, sounding like he was genuinely seeking his approval.

As long as he didn't have to exert himself, Kaneki was fine with whatever, so he gave him a slight nod. Being treated like a king – it was something he'd never even thought about before, but it sounded kind of nice to him now. When Tsukiyama wasn't looking at him with hunger in his eyes, Kaneki could see his affection there. He was just a rich fool with a heart even bigger than his wallet, willing to spend as much time on him as money. Tsukiyama would get it eventually, and, if he hadn't already, then one day for sure, he would completely forget about eating him.

Pushing the blankets out of the way, Tsukiyama placed a hand over Kaneki's stomach, watching him carefully for his reaction. Kaneki just stared back, curious what he intended to do. Very lightly, he moved his hand over his stomach, stroking the soft fabric of the shirt over his skin. It wasn't even skin on skin, but it felt extremely intimate for some reason. His skin prickled, ticklish goosebumps rising as Tsukiyama moved his hand around his right side, stroking the sensitive spot under his ribs. He kept his face close, perching his chin on Kaneki's shoulder as he continued to move his hand in lazy, meandering ways that turned Kaneki's goosebumps into shivers.

His blurry vision making him feel dizzy, he closed his eyes and only Tsukiyama's touch remained. With the itch in him growing, his knees unconsciously locked together, and his hips twisted slightly, trying to find a way to satisfy himself. He heard Tsukiyama laugh against his neck, but he vanished suddenly a second later. When he opened an eye, he found him crawling down his body, pushing up the bottom of his shirt. Kaneki narrowed his eyes at him. Even if he could speak, he wasn't sure what he could've said that wouldn't have embarrassed him. Being like this made him feel aloof and sort of powerful in a way because it made it even harder for Tsukiyama to tell what he was thinking.

Which was good. Because he was embarrassed as hell.

He felt exposed and he was wearing Tsukiyama's clothes. He couldn't think of a time where a situation like this wouldn't make him feel embarrassed.

Tsukiyama glanced down and smiled a satisfied smile as he ran one finger over the shape of his cock through his underwear. Aggravated and anxious and ready to explode, Kaneki shot out a hand without thinking and grabbed Tsukiyama's wrist and pulled it back up.

Tsukiyama tilted his head playfully. “You don't like being teased, do you?” He came in a little closer, brushing his lips against the side of his face. “Could it be...” he began softly, flicking his eyes up to look into Kaneki's. “Could it be that you've never been touched before, Kaneki-kun?”

He was hungry and the urge to bite him was strong. It was probably the first time he'd ever felt the urge to bite someone out of retaliation, but hey – there was a first time for everything. Still, he had more self-control than that. Tsukiyama was looking weak, too. It wouldn't be any good to hurt him now.

Sly smile softening into something gentle and fond, Tsukiyama gave him a kiss on the lips, and Kaneki gave a frustrated sigh in return.

“Sorry. Are you still tired, too? I won't tease you then,” he promised, pressing their foreheads together. True to his word, he put his fingers under the waistband of the underwear Kaneki was wearing and pulled them down before Kaneki could stop him. His cock sprung back toward his stomach, already much harder than he even realized. Eyeing it, Tsukiyama drew his tongue over his lips and went to grab it.

Before he could lay a finger on him, Kaneki pushed his hand away. Swallowing his nerves, he put his hands on Tsukiyama's hips, ready to pull down his pajamas. Tsukiyama stopped him, laughing awkwardly, trying to tell him that it would be easier for him to take them off himself, but Kaneki could tell the real reason why he stopped him. His face was red. Evidently, he was just as embarrassed about this as he was.

Kaneki cursed his voice and the missed opportunity. He really wanted to ask him if this were his first time being touched by someone else, too.

His knowing grin seemed to suffice. When Tsukiyama noticed the look he was giving him, he blushed even harder and turned his attention back to what he was doing. It looked like he was fighting some kind of internal battle. Deciding to get it over with quickly, he pulled off his pants and underwear together and dropped them off the side of the bed. While he was busying himself with that, Kaneki slid his off the rest of the way as well. Tsukiyama seemed conflicted about what he should do with his shirt, but Kaneki wasn't interested in waiting around anymore. Being completely naked with him would just make things even more embarrassing, so it wasn't worth it, he figured.

He hadn't even touched him yet, and Tsukiyama was already really hard. Feeling a little evil, Kaneki placed a hand over Tsukiyama's chest and stroked his skin through his shirt the same way he had done to him, adamantly keeping his eyes on his face as he touched him.

“Kane-”

It looked like he didn't know what to do about this situation now that Kaneki was the one controlling things. He was fighting to keep his calm attitude, but it was steadily cracking and falling away as Kaneki touched him more. It wasn't long before he realized that Tsukiyama responded more to certain places; his chest, in particular.

Kaneki was glad that Tsukiyama kept his shirt on. It was easier to play around with his nipples like that. Part of him really wanted to look at his naked chest, but this was a fine way to start things off. Even Tsukiyama seemed to share that feeling. He was normally so talkative, but he shut up the second Kaneki did something that compromised his composure.

As Kaneki raked his blunt nails over his nipples, Tsukiyama closed his eyes, his breath becoming a little rougher. He wriggled helplessly, his cock twitching as Kaneki pinched them and rolled them between his fingers. Clearly, he enjoyed what Kaneki was doing to his chest, but other parts of him wanted attention, too. It was so fun to tease him, though. Kaneki felt like he didn't even need to be touched as long as he could keep touching Tsukiyama like this. Just watching his reactions, seeing all of the lewd faces he made, was enough to heighten his desire.

“K-Kaneki-kun... I said I wouldn't tease you, so would you please-”

The words halted on the tip of his tongue when he saw Kaneki's predatory grin. Yes, he remembered when Tsukiyama told him that he wasn't going to play around, but he never promised the same thing for him. He hadn't said anything at all.

For a moment, he removed one of his hands and brought it down to grasp Tsukiyama's wrist. Bringing it closer, he guided his hand to his cock, silently instructing him to grab it.

This wasn't so bad, he thought to himself as he felt Tsukiyama's fingers close around his cock. Being in control felt pretty nice. His thoughts briefly strayed to the unpleasant things he'd managed to escape from, but he quickly shook those thoughts away, letting them be replaced by the current moment. He needed this. Even Tsukiyama seemed to understand how much he needed this. As weak as he felt, Tsukiyama could have easily pushed him around and forced him to do whatever he wanted, but he let him take control and seemed to enjoy relinquishing it at the same time.

“Tou... Touching you like this...” He sounded so pleased, like he never would have expected to be allowed a moment like this.

Kaneki sucked in a breath, surprised by how good his touch felt. He realized that, as he touched Tsukiyama's chest, Tsukiyama was probably touching him in the way he would have been touching himself. There was no way for him to tell him what he wanted, but he had the feeling that he wouldn't need to tell him. Through the haze of his own pleasure, Tsukiyama seemed to be reading his reactions, doing as the little changes in his breathing suggested. Leaning into his hand, Kaneki rubbed himself against his palm, seeking more friction, so Tsukiyama tightened his hand, stroking him a little bit harder, a little faster.

When a louder moan came sneaking past his lips, Kaneki opened his eyes wide and realized that he hadn't been paying as much attention to what he was doing with his own hands. He'd already been teasing Tsukiyama's nipples for quite some time. His eyes were half-lidded, his cheek pressed into the pillow, his hair messily falling across his face. His face and mouth were flushed red with pleasure, and Kaneki suddenly realized that he found him extremely attractive like that.

Relentlessly rubbing his nipples seemed to drive him crazy. It probably wouldn't have been much longer before Tsukiyama reached the point where he was begging for him to stop, but he was clearly holding himself back. He wanted to let Kaneki have what he wanted.

That was sweet, but in a way Kaneki was very unfamiliar with. He appreciated it, but he didn't feel like doing anything that would hurt him.

So he stopped what he was doing, slowly easing his hands away from his chest, bringing them down to his sides. In response, Tsukiyama released a breath that he must have been holding for a long while. With one hand, Kaneki stroked his side, silently loving all of the soft sounds it drew from him. He finally brought his other hand down, trying to keep his hesitation away as he wrapped his fingers around his cock. Tsukiyama was kind of big; about as big as he expected based on his build, but not so big that he couldn't comfortably fit in his palm. Now that he knew they might be together in the future, that this sort of thing might become more frequent, he found himself wondering about what it would feel like to have it inside of him.

It would probably hurt at first. He couldn't ask whether this was Tsukiyama's first time doing this sort of thing, but he felt like Tsukiyama wouldn't do anything that would hurt him now. This version of him was much tamer than the one he first encountered at Anteiku. It was like his claws had been removed and he'd been reduced to a house cat. He couldn't hunt the mouse he'd grown attached to. Even if the urge remained, he couldn't sink his claws into him anymore.

His hair... Those eyes... That scent...

Kaneki didn't know when this happened; when he came to love those things.

Maybe it was just his scent screwing with his head. He still didn't know everything about ghouls, so he didn't know how those things were supposed to work. When it went to his head, it made him feel like he was exactly where he belonged.

Was he really in control? Were either of them? Was 'control' just some kind of imaginary construct that he convinced himself to exist?

He didn't know anymore. All he knew was how good it felt when he kissed him, to taste and feel Tsukiyama's tongue as it slid over his own. He could tell that he was playing right into it, letting himself become intoxicated with it, but he didn't care because it felt good, and he just wanted to feel good.

He moaned shakily against Tsukiyama's lips, rocking himself into his hand. He could feel it approaching already, building toward the peak.

Coming a little closer, Tsukiyama wrapped his free arm around his waist to pull him closer and threaded one of his legs between Kaneki's. Being so close, if they weren't kissing, there was nowhere for him to look but at Tsukiyama's face.

“Kaneki...”

He hadn't even realized. Tsukiyama must have really enjoyed kissing him. Letting him taste his mouth was probably the next closest thing to letting him taste his flesh. To save them from any further awkwardness, he decided to distract him with his mouth and put the rest of his focus on what he was doing with his hand. Tsukiyama hadn't stopped, still working his hand over him at varying paces. When he thought Kaneki was about to come, he'd backed off a bit, loosening his hold, but now that he had Kaneki's tongue in his mouth, he was back to gripping him nice and tight again.

Kaneki impressed himself. Even if he couldn't speak, he still knew what to do to direct him.

Tightening his own grip, his added his other hand to the mix, using that one to lightly hold and tease his balls while he stroked him. He felt Tsukiyama's breath hitch, felt his moan against his tongue when he touched his balls. Curious, he made his fist a little tighter around them and Tsukiyama had to break way to let out the most beautifully submissive cry. Rather than look ashamed of the sound he'd made, he gave Kaneki a look that was both startled and hopeful.

He gave them another tentative squeeze.

“Th-that's good,” he muttered breathlessly. “I like it. More... please?”

Kaneki couldn't imagine how doing it any harder would feel good, but he didn't have it in him to refuse after Tsukiyama asked for it so nicely. Resting them in his palm, he pressed his thumb between them and isolated one. Putting his fingers around it, he pressed on it gently at first, observing his face, then squeezed it harder, watching as Tsukiyama's face lit up in pleasure. He didn't understand it, but if he liked it, then whatever. The more he made him feel, the more effort Tsukiyama put in on his own part.

It wasn't long until he had him howling loud enough that he was convinced the rest of the estate would hear him. Releasing him, Kaneki covered his mouth and gave him a stern look, clenching his other hand tightly around his cock to warn him that he should keep it down. He didn't know what kind of people his parents were. He wasn't especially concerned about receiving their approval, but he didn't want to give them any reason to dislike him either. Even he was aware that a ghoul heir in bed with a male half-ghoul sounded... problematic.

Tsukiyama nodded and nodded, muttering apologies against his palm; whatever he needed to say as long as it got Kaneki to continue. Giving a suffering sigh, Kaneki resumed what he'd been doing and was rather impressed this time by Tsukiyama's ability to hold down his screams. His shoulders shook as he held them in, and Kaneki's hand suddenly slid along his length much easier, wet with precum. Gasping and making faint, pleading noises, Tsukiyama pressed his face against Kaneki's neck, his own hand working rapidly over Kaneki's cock.

“Kaneki, I'm...”

Seeing him losing it was really something. He looked so appealing like that; eyes squeezed shut, lips trembling as he tried to hold it back. Feeling particularly cruel, Kaneki held them both in his hand and gave them a strong squeeze that would have surely made a lesser man black out.

But Tsukiyama was a perfect pervert. No sound came from his mouth when he came, but Kaneki could feel him quivering all over, felt him cling to him even tighter as he painted his palm with cum.

When he came out of it, he looked even more tired, his eyes hazy and half-lidded, his skin flushed an erotic shade. Kaneki let go of him and eyed the mess on his palm with a sniff. Struck by an idea that was too amusing to resist, he held up his palm for him and was completely unsurprised when Tsukiyama obediently began licking him clean, sucking on his fingers, laving his tongue over his palm until it was all gone. Kaneki's cock throbbed as he watched him. He wouldn't have thought that something like that would interest him before, but his cock eagerly responded to it.

He could already feel himself leaking precum. Knowing that it would only take a little bit more, he wrapped both of his arms around Tsukiyama's shoulders and thrust into his hand, relaxing and letting out a calm sigh as he came.

As expected, Tsukiyama's hand immediately went to his mouth as he greedily lapped up the remnants of his orgasm, giving Kaneki an appreciative look as he dragged his tongue down his wrist.

The reality of what they just did slowly sunk in, but it didn't bother him as he much as he thought it would. Laying next to Tsukiyama, listening to his breathing as it slowed and became more even, he just felt okay. Coming might have done something to his head, he thought, but it wasn't a bad thing. Whatever made him feel calm right now had to be alright.

Realizing that he still had his arms around Tsukiyama's shoulders, he held him a little tighter, and Tsukiyama pulled him against his chest.

“That felt good, didn't it?” he asked, one of his hands stroking through Kaneki's hair.

He nodded, putting his nose to his skin, letting Tsukiyama's scent wrap around him.

“I won't let you go this time. Even if you try to leave me, even if you try to stop me, I won't let you go. Not this time.”

No matter what sort of intentions Tsukiyama had for him, he wanted to believe him. He wanted to be stopped. He wanted someone to grab his wrist and turn him around. He wanted Tsukiyama to hold onto him and take him with him wherever he wanted to go as long as it was a place far away from the things that hurt.

Placing an affectionate kiss to the top of his head, Tsukiyama parted from him quickly to retrieve the clothing they had discarded. Kaneki still wished he at least had some pants to make himself more modest, but he didn't care about it as much once Tsukiyama pulled up the blankets. Wrapped in their warmth, enveloped in Tsukiyama's embrace, he felt his awareness beginning to fade.

As his eyes closed, he thought he heard Tsukiyama mumble a sleepy 'good night' and he smiled.


End file.
